At a Glance
A high-need elementary and middle school serving students from outside Rikers Island with remarkably supportive classroom environments
Families who value a small, supportive school environment with strong teacher relationships and are prepared to manage a commute to Rikers Island. Particularly suited for families whose children have IEPs, given the school's high special education enrollment and the 88.4% teacher instruction quality rating. Families seeking a nurturing, low-discipline environment may find this school aligns well with their priorities, though they should investigate academic programming details directly.
- Zero suspensions — a notably supportive discipline environment
- High parent satisfaction (93.5%) exceeding district average
- Teacher instruction quality (88.4%) above district average
- High IEP student population (43%) suggests robust special education services
- Small school size (165 students) with class sizes matching district average
- No ELA or Math proficiency data available — academic performance is difficult to assess from public data
- Very high economic need (80.5%) means many families face significant challenges outside school
- Rikers Island location creates commute challenges for most families
- Environmental health concerns in the broader area (asthma rates, lead exposure)
- Surrounded by peer schools with much higher quality ratings — district context is competitive
Based on 2024 data
School SummaryDistrict 7
District 7 (Bronx) includes several high-performing charter schools (Leaders of Excellence at 97/100, South Bronx Classical at 96/100) alongside this unscreened zoned school. The district average overall quality score is 2.0/4, indicating challenges across the board. East River Academy doesn't have published proficiency scores to compare directly, but its strong culture climate metrics and parent satisfaction suggest it serves its community well, even if test score performance may trail charter competitors.
This school lacks published ELA and Math proficiency scores in the available data, which limits direct academic comparison. However, class sizes (averaging 20.5 students) match the district average exactly, suggesting adequate staffing. The 43% IEP population is notably high, indicating the school likely emphasizes special education services. Without test score trends to analyze, parents should contact the school directly about academic programming and student growth metrics.
The discipline record shows zero suspensions, which is strong in a district where the average suspension rate runs 0.84%. Teacher-reported instruction quality (88.4%) and safety (80.5%) both exceed district averages, suggesting teachers feel supported in their work. Parent satisfaction is notably high at 93.5%. Attendance averages 91.1%, matching the district norm. The combination of low discipline incidents, positive teacher sentiment, and satisfied families points to a school where the day-to-day environment feels stable and supportive.
The student body is predominantly Black (66%) and Hispanic (28%), with very small Asian (2%), White (4%), and Native American (1%) populations. The diversity index of 49% reflects a relatively homogeneous population compared to citywide averages. With 80.5% economic need and 43% IEP students, this is a school serving families facing significant challenges — the demographics tell a story of a community that needs and values its public school.
Rikers Island is uniquely challenging to characterize as a neighborhood since it's primarily a jail complex with no resident population. The island scores very high on safety (93.49 percentile) but extremely low on transit access (6.51), family density (4.6), and education orientation (4.6). Environmental health concerns exist — the asthma emergency department rate (75.5 per 1,000) and elevated lead rate (15.2%) exceed typical thresholds. Students here are commuting from elsewhere in the Bronx, not walking to school from the surrounding area.
This is not a walkable neighborhood. Students arrive via bus or car, as there's no residential population on Rikers Island and minimal transit access. Families should factor in commute time and transportation logistics.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
NYC DOE InfoHub · 2022-23
Economic Need & Special Populations
Discipline
NYSED Student & Educator Database
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is East River Academy a good school?
- Published quality ratings aren't available for East River Academy yet on Motley. It's a public school serving grades Pre-K to 8 in Rikers Island.
- What grades does East River Academy serve?
- East River Academy serves grades Pre-K to 8.
- How do students get into East River Academy?
- East River Academy admits by application through a random lottery, with no academic screen.
- Is East River Academy public, charter, or private?
- East River Academy is a public school in NYC Community School District 7.
- What neighborhood is East River Academy in?
- East River Academy is in Rikers Island, Bronx.
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